1 92 1.] oj Tunisia and Algeria. 407 



number of Wbite Storks (Ciconia ciconia ciconia) which 

 make their home in the Arab quarter of the town. On the 

 picturesque old red roofs of the houses which rise in tiers to the 

 north-east of the bridge of El Rached (Plate IV.), I counted 

 as many as forty Storks sitting or standing by their great 

 nests, while a number of others w^ere flying overhead, their 

 long necks and legs stretched out to their full extent. This, 

 of course, is the usual position in which the Stork flies, but 

 I have also seen them wheeling overhead at a considerable 

 altitude with their legs drooping down, as if preparatory to 

 alighting. Unmolested by the Arabs, the Storks of Con- 

 stantino add greatly to the already wonderfully picturesque 

 Eue Perregaux, from various points of which the great birds 

 and their nests may be observed at close quarters. 



In the early morning of 3rd March we left Constantine 

 for Biskra by the now well-known tourist route to the oasis 

 on the fringe of the desert. At this early hour numerous 

 Storks Avere seen in the fields, busily feeding ; at Kroubs, 

 where they were particularly numerous, I noticed four huge 

 nests built in one small tree bare of leaves, which hardly 

 appeared large enough to support one such ungainly structure. 

 Between Ain M'lila and Ain Yagout the train traverses an 

 immense flat stony plain, for the most part covered with 

 grass, to the west of which rugged limestone hills rise 

 abruptly. Lapwings, Starlings, Larks, and great numbers 

 of Sparrows were constantly seen from the train. East of 

 the line the distant mountains were white with snow. 

 Several shallow salt-lakes were passed surrounded by rough, 

 rush-covered ground with here and there inviting pools, 

 where a great many small wading birds were observed. 



The line runs close to the Salt Chotts Tinzilts and 

 Ez Zemoul absolutely bare of vegetation around their edges. 

 To my disappointment not a bird was to be seen. On 

 the 20th of Febrjiary, thirteen years previously. Dr. Hartert 

 found on the former sheet of water many Ducks, a few 

 Grulls, and hundreds of Flamingoes. The station, " Les 

 Lacs," is on the very edge of the lake, and as the train pulls 

 up there for a few minutes and then sweeps round one side 



SER. XI. VOL. III. 2 E 



